Heehee.

Me: I'm an instructional technology specialist

Them: zzzzzz

Me: I work at the Looniversity

Them: You must really like basketball!

Me: I'm an artist/illustrator/graphic designer.

Listener: [thinks -- must be sure to look the other way as he pockets hors d'erves before leaving the party] How interesting! It must be wonderfully creative, working in that field.

The church I used to attend, St. Barts, is where the Scribners and Vanderbilts had rented pews doncha know. It still has a gorgeous reception/party after its Easter Vigil service with linens and a ton of amazing food, etc.

The first year I was attending the church my Mom and I saw an older woman wrapping up finger sandwhiches in napkins and placing them in her purse. We watched as one of the people from the church came rushing over... and proceeded to help the woman wrap up goodies, "you'll want to try some of THESE". It was lovely.

Things I've answered to "What do you do?" or "What are you doing?"

- Nothing
- pretty much whatever I want
- surfing the web alot
- more than you
- look cute and laugh.

granted only to people I have a general knowledge of and have no use for. they were not amused.

Meeting folks in Michigan was interesting. What do you do was quickly followed up with so what do you drive? I seem to confuse people when I say "I work for the government", because that's about as much as my job defines me. Other people who work for the (any) government will grok the administrivia of what I actually do. I could be doing something almost completely different next week, but it probably wouldn't have much effect on when I show up or how much I get paid.

Ok, one thing that happens when I state the place of my employment is the listener expects me to be able to reel off from memory all sorts of trivial factoids.

How far away is it? uh, high

can it spy on us ?no

I'll bet it does and you just don't... no, that would break important components

how much does it weigh? a lot, but it is in space

has it ever take a picture of X? lemme get right on that

can I take a picture with it? get funding

Who looks through it? um...

How do you get the film down? ummm...

ever seen any aliens? I'll bet you have and just aren't telling eyeroll

No really, I saw on this show...walking away

see, where those people go wrong is not pinching your cheeks and commenting on your cuteness. For that is the correct reponse to anything you say or do.

silly people. I should give lessons.

re Birmingham:

Starbucks sent me there from Atlanta for three weeks or a month to try to whip the store on that little swanky main shopping street into shape. So I actually lived at the Extended Stay America out on (16?) Mile. Something Mile, anywhoo.

duck tapes msbelle's pinchy wee fingers

how much does it weigh? a lot, but it is in space

Pretty sweet.

People do ask me about my company's line of business. We do a lot of what we do, #1 in the country, or whatever, but *I* certainly don't. Never used the industry's services even. Couldn't help anyone do anything other than manage their paper.

What do you do was quickly followed up with so what do you drive?

Oh, THAT would have pissed me off. Not least of all because I was driving a Honda at the time, and if you're in MI and care enough to ask, the fight will be on.

People tell me in LA that everything's about what you drive. I haven't been exposed to that segment of the population, and I'm good.

My favourite time to say what I do is while I'm in Montreal. The way the slow film of glaze flickers over their eyes as they go through the "not in the industry/well, she's here so maybe she knows someone/hey, I could bang her anyway" at the festival is quite precious.